Artec 3D integrates its handheld scanners with 3D Systems’ Geomagic Freeform

Artec 3D, developer and manufacturer of professional 3D hardware and software, has integrated its portable, hand-held 3D scanners with 3D Systems’ Geomagic Freeform, an organic design software featuring a set of hybrid modelling tools to rapidly create organic models with fine, intricate details and prepare the models for manufacturing.

Integrating the two technologies is said to create a streamlined workflow from reverse engineering an existing object to the creation of a manufacturing-ready design. With Artec 3D scanners, organic objects can be captured directly into Freeform, where users can access a variety of advanced design capabilities including touch-based 3D sculpting, surfacing, design-intent modelling, 3D scan processing, mould making and CAD interoperability.

Artyom Yukhin, president, and CEO of Artec 3D, said: “Whether you want to capture and replicate an existing object as-is or use it as the basis for an entirely new design, our scanners can provide a high-quality detailed 3D model to use as a starting point. This eliminates the time, cost and possibility of error associated with digitally recreating the geometry of organic objects from scratch.”

Artec 3D says its scanners can quickly capture the texture, size, and geometry of an object with high accuracy. They are also engineered with advanced tracking systems to eliminate the need for an object to be covered with targets when scanning.

“We are continually looking for ways to streamline our customers’ workflows and provide them with advanced design to manufacturing tools that they can use in the most intuitive way,” said Carol Zampell, VP software solutions, 3D Systems. “Freeform software together with Touch X or Touch haptic devices creates a hands-on design experience. By combining our offering with Artec’s 3D scanners, designers can take a physical object and, within minutes, be able to feel and manipulate it as if it was made of clay.”

Built-in features detect and correct potential manufacturing issues early in the design process, saving the time, cost and headache of dealing with avoidable design flaws. The Geomagic Freeform software also includes interoperability tools to handle the import and export of 3D file formats like STL, OBJ, PLY, IGES, STEP, other neutral formats, and additional CAD formats through Geomagic Freeform Plus.